The Snake Demon of Hachijo Island was slain.
The Iguro family was thus wiped out.
Obanai Iguro joined the Demon Slayer Corps along with Shinjuro Rengoku.
Mitsuko also left Hachijo Island.
Hachijo Island, which had been shrouded in the shadow of the Iguro family for over three hundred years, finally saw the dawn.
The people of Hachijo Island noticed that the women of the Iguro family, who had always been domineering and arrogant, had suddenly vanished as if they had disappeared into thin air, and they gradually realized that something was wrong.
When they gathered their forces and headed to the palace in the forest belonging to the Iguro family, they found it in ruins and realized that the Iguro family had become history.
Everyone was moved to tears, because it meant they were liberated and their days of unbearable suffering were over.
Just as people entered the palace, they discovered that someone was looting the palace's valuables.
This person is none other than Obanai Iguro's cousin.
That night, Obanai Iguro's cousin had already left with some valuables.
However, she was used to a life of luxury and extravagance, and this amount of wealth was simply not enough for her to squander for long.
Driven by greed, she returned to the Iguro family's palace several times, intending to plunder a large amount of wealth and take it with her.
But this time, she was discovered.
Obanai Iguro's cousin tried to escape, but was surrounded by people.
Years of exploitation and humiliation have made the people of Hachijo Island hate the women of the Iguro family to the core.
Even though Obanai's cousin knelt down and begged for forgiveness, how could the enraged people possibly forgive her?
The people of Hachijo Island vented their long-standing resentment on Obanai Iguro's cousin.
Soon after, Obanai Iguro's cousin was beaten to death by the people of Hachijo Island.
However, it is regrettable.
Obanai Iguro's cousin never let go of her valuables until her death.
...
For nearly half a month, Mitsuko traveled to several towns and finally collected enough blood.
Mitsuko returned to his home, Ishikakuyama.
During the time Mitsuko was away, nothing major happened on Ishikakuyama.
Everyone assumed that after Mitsuko left, their leader would be Junpei Ogiya.
Junpei Ogiya lived up to expectations, managing Ishikakuyama in an orderly manner, so that Mitsuko had no worries.
When Mitsuko returned, everyone was very happy and came out to greet him, asking him all sorts of questions.
Emi Matsuo ran up to Mitsuko with her short legs, tugged at his clothes, and asked pitifully, "Brother Mitsuko, will you stay for a long time this time?"
Mitsuko gently embraced Emi Matsuo and said, "Don't worry, I should be able to stay at Ishikakuyama for a month this time."
Because of his excessive activity in recent years, Mitsuko has now been exposed to the Demon Slayer Corps and the demons.
Mitsuko also planned to stay in the towns near Ishikakuyama for a while to avoid the limelight.
Once the Demon Slayer Corps and the demons were no longer paying attention to him, Mitsuko would then head to a town a little further away.
A few days later.
Mitsuko was drinking alone under the moon.
Junpei Ogiya approached Mitsuko with some distress: "Mitsuko, my swordsmanship hasn't improved at all lately. Can you help me figure out why?"
Mitsuko understood that Junpei Ogiya wanted her to practice his moves, and readily agreed to Junpei Ogiya's request.
Mitsuko put down his wine glass, picked up the Nichirin Blade beside him, and faced off against Junpei Ogiya.
Mitsuko lowered his body slightly, his left hand holding the scabbard of the Nichirin Blade, his thumb resting on the tsuba, while his right hand was relaxed and aimed at Junpei Ogiya.
Mitsuko reminded him, "Junpei, I'm going up now."
Junpei Ogiya nodded solemnly and said, "I'm ready!"
Junpei Ogiya had barely finished speaking.
Mitsuko took a step forward, used his left thumb to flick the Nichirin Blade out of its sheath, and then gripped the hilt with his right hand, unleashing an extremely fierce draw slash towards Junpei Ogiya's body.
"Counter-thrust!"
Junpei Ogiya used the hilt of his sword to block Mitsuko's draw slash, then used the momentum to turn around and thrust at Mitsuko.
Mitsuko raised his Nichirin Blade, using the blade to block Junpei Ogiya's thrust, and then swept a high kick toward Junpei Ogiya's head.
Junpei Ogiya took a step back, dodging Mitsuko's sweeping leg. Just as he was about to counterattack, Mitsuko's slash came again.
"Palm Breaks the Momentum!"
After Mitsuko parried with his sword, Junpei Ogiya pushed the blade hard with his palm to increase its power.
Junpei Ogiya successfully pushed Mitsuko back a step, then shouted loudly.
"Battle Might!"
Junpei Ogiya lowered his body, violently rotated his entire body, shifted his pivot foot, and swung his sword horizontally towards Mitsuko.
Mitsuko used the scabbard in her left hand to block Junpei Ogiya's horizontal sword swing.
Taking advantage of Junpei Ogiya's weakened state—when his old strength was exhausted and his new strength had not yet been generated—he lunged forward and struck Junpei Ogiya in the abdomen with the hilt of his sword, then placed the sword against Junpei Ogiya's shoulder.
"That's enough, Junpei."
Junpei Ogiya sheathed Kikuichimonji Norimune and gave a wry smile: "I didn't expect it to end so quickly."
Mitsuko sheathed his Nichirin Blade and asked with a puzzled look, "Is something on your mind?"
Junpei Ogiya looked at Mitsuko with surprise: "Hmm? Why do you say that?"
"During the fight just now, you had several opportunities to suppress me but failed to seize them. It's obvious that you were distracted. What else could it be but something on your mind?"
Junpei Ogiya scratched his head somewhat awkwardly: "Is it that obvious?"
Mitsuko asked curiously, "Tell me, what's on your mind?"
Junpei Ogiya's cheeks suddenly turned bright red: "Mitsuko, when did you become so gossipy?!"
Looking at Junpei Ogiya's flushed cheeks, Mitsuko roughly guessed what was on his mind: "I already know what's on your mind."
Junpei Ogiya was taken aback for a moment: "Huh?"
Mitsuko nudged Junpei Ogiya with her elbow: "It's Asuka, right?"
Seeing that Mitsuko had guessed it, Junpei Ogiya stopped pretending, sat down on the ground, picked up the sake bottle that Mitsuko had placed on the ground, and started chugging it down.
After getting a little tipsy, Junpei Ogiya, emboldened by the alcohol, confided to Mitsuko, "To be honest, I really like Asuka, and I can feel Asuka's feelings for me."
Mitsuko tilted his head and said, "Isn't that great?"
"It's good, I didn't say it was bad, it's just... I don't know if I should confess to Asuka."
Junpei Ogiya, feeling frustrated, took another big gulp of sake.
Mitsuko asked curiously, "You like Asuka, and Asuka likes you too, so why are you hesitant about whether or not to confess?"
"It's not that simple. If I just tell Asuka I like her, it feels a bit too informal. Would it be better to prepare some flowers before confessing? No, flowers aren't good either, they're too cliché. How about we go to the town down there and buy Asuka a gift she likes before confessing? Would that be better?"
Junpei Ogiya's words were full of turmoil.